Castlevania: Dracula X Coming To Virtual Console?

Castlevania: Dracula X is kind of like a port of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, a Japan-only TurboGrafx-16 game. What makes the Super Nintendo version standout is it has different levels and music, but only Richter Belmont is playable.

While Castlevania: Rondo of Blood was finally released in the West as a Virtual Console download and remade for PSP, Castlevania: Dracula X is pretty rare. Not for long, though. It looks like Konami plans to re-release the game as a Virtual Console download. Castlevania: Dracula X was rated in Australia’s Classification Board with Nintendo listed as the publisher.

I have the TB16 version on the Wii. Isn’t the SNES version considered inferior?

anarchy_panty

It is inferior, but is that really fair considering that Rondo is the best Castlevania? SNES Dracula X isn’t as good, but it’s still a solid Classicvania title and well worth playing through.

malek86

Well, the thing is, since there’s a superior version of the same game, why choose the inferior one? I’m pretty sure the TB16 version will come down the line.

Gyro Zeppeli

Because Dracula X is drastically different from Rondo of Blood, different levels and music and bosses. It’s not the same game at all.

Spirit Macardi

Exactly. It’s like the Genesis and SNES versions of Sparkster: same name, but completely different games.

GH56734

Not the same name in Japan. The Genesis one was called “Rocket Knight Adventures 2” and the SFC one was “Sparkster”. I’m talking about the Japanese part of the title of course, the English part of the logo is “Sparkster” for both.

TomSkylark

Yeah, I feel like the pink elephant here is that this is one of the few times that “different” simply means “not as good as the original.” None of the changes are for the better. It was also remarkable and awesome that Ninty released Rondo on VC–my ex bought it for me as a you’ve-had-a-tough-week present a couple years back, and it was the nicest surprise. Such a release should be commended and supported.

For those who don’t have VC access, there’s an enhanced PSP port of Rondo (under the somewhat baffling name “Dracula X Chronicles”) that also includes an unlockable port of “Symphony of the Night.” It tends to go for pretty cheap used, and is very much worth it.

easter

Also want to point out DXC is available on PSN for a reasonable $15.

Crevox

What isn’t coming to Virtual Console

Ethan_Twain

Oh man, that is great news! Castlevania Rondo of Blood was an absolute gem of a virtual console discovery and I didn’t even know that this existed. Do I want a new Castlevania Rondo of Blood except with different music, levels, and bosses? YES PLEASE! The loss of the little girl mode is not such a great loss, I never used it anyway. Just like in Portrait of Ruin (the other Castlevania to give you a Belmont and a girl companion) I choose to play these games old school. Just a dude and his whip.

MrSirFeatherFang

Oh that final boss… well, cool that it’s coming to the VC.
Last I checked, The New Generation/Bloodlines (Mega Drive/Genesis) isn’t on the VC yet. I hope they put it on there eventually.

hng qtr

“That boss” indeed…I can go through the game easily( still have the cartridge) but never beat him. It’s like 90%of the time he hits he knocks Richter out of the platforms.

John Silver

get lots of hearts and axe subweapon, then throw them while you’re on a lower platform than he is. you’ll beat him in no time due to increased range, and his fireballs will pass over you.

hng qtr

I can kill his human form easily by doing that but never managed to kill his monster form quickly enough to not be hit.

John Silver

you use the same strategy. if you get 99 hearts before the fight, you can throw them without limits.

you throw axes as fast as you can at him from a pillar below him, and since they destroy his fireballs and you’re below him so you can avoid the sonic wave, he shouldn’t be able to hit you even once.

only problem might be if he tries to fly and land on you and you didn’t deal enough damage to kill him before that.

GH56734

I wish the beta version of the Genesis game would be published. It’s on par with the final but with a lot more levels, that were cut for space constraints.
It’s also still not leaked anywhere.

Charlie Maib

Um… how about Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for the Super IS THE PORT of Dracula X for the TG16 (more accurately the PC Engine, since there was never an official version of CDX for the TG16 outside of Japan). Here, I’ll rewrite this post for you:

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for the SNES (known as Castlvania XX in Japan) was a half-hearted port for the exceptional PC Engine game Castlevania: Dracula X ~Rondo of Blood~. Although the PC Engine title never got made it outside of the country as a proper release in its day, it has been available as a port on the Wii virtual console, as well as having been remade for the PSP, trading pixels for polygon graphics (the original version was also included as a bonus).

Now it seems that what many consider to be the high point of the Castlevania series will be making its way to the Wii U virtual console as well, as the Australian Classification Board has rated it, listing Nintendo as the publisher.

You’re welcome and Merry Christmas!

Chow

I played the heck out of the PSP version (both the remake and the unlockable original version, plus unlockable SotN). It was DOPE.

LittleMofreaky

WOOOOO!

easter

Just bought DXC for my Vita the other day. It’s my first Castlevania game proper, and while I’ve heard of the legendary difficulty, I wasn’t prepared for *this much* old school punishment. Though to be fair, I mostly bought it for SotN, which is also a first for me (hey, I happen to like the new voices and there’s a Japanese track too in the DXC port).

At least I’m having more fun with it than Lords of Shadow, ugh.

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